Dear Stephen,
I'm a regional VP at one of the top four major manufacturers in a major Southwestern metropolitan area. We sell a prestigious brand—a favorite of design firms like #Gensler and A&D firms of all sizes. While we have great dealers, there's always a bad apple. Currently, we have one causing me a headache by screaming at my sales reps in a tone and language that makes them feel threatened. Having employees feel threatened by someone who should be our ally and partner is unequivocally bad for business.
Typically, it's the dealer principal or owner who's the screamer, but it could just as easily be a senior salesperson, account manager, or even a sales assistant. It boils down to this: dealers love to scream. In this particular case, the owner is the screamer—a real bully.
The problems vary widely. It's not just about discounts; sometimes it's the dealer's participation in a project or a post-sale service issue we're trying to resolve. Anything can set this guy off. Our sales reps are experienced professionals with excellent relationships with end users, the A&D community, and most of our dealers. Our reps and customer service people who endure this abuse aren't pushovers—they won't tolerate being bullied, threatened, or harassed. They're pros who can handle difficult people, except when someone from the dealership starts screaming at them.
This has become my problem because I now have a very senior sales rep who refuses to call on that dealership (which was assigned to them) due to the dealer owner's constant screaming. It's also becoming an HR issue, as the salesperson reported it as workplace harassment, feeling regularly threatened. As an interim solution, I'm handling that dealership as my account. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident—I'm dealing with other dealerships because salespeople don't want to be disrespected. It's now interfering with my ability to do my job as a regional VP managing over 30 people.
Have you heard of this happening before? What should I do?
Signed,
Fed Up with Ferocious Dealers
---------------------------------
Dear Fed Up,
Have I heard of this problem? Are you kidding? I hear about it constantly from manufacturers! Here's the kicker—it's not just you, it's practically everyone. Of course, that's part of the problem. Dealers know there's a lack of respect for them, even though they believe they're on the front lines making deals happen and completing installations. No wonder there's tension between dealers and manufacturers.
I bet any dealer principal reading this will think it's about them—regardless of their location or market size. Disrespect comes in many forms, and when interactions become loud, belligerent, or threatening over the phone or in person, it's... well, you know what I want to say... (bull's dung). But I'll stick with "unacceptable" for now.
It's a shame because dealership owners and employees are generally smart, and I have enormous respect for them. Usually, they're very nice. It's a tough job—I know because I've done it. In my opinion, most of these dealer folks believe they're solely responsible for the success of the major manufacturer they represent, no matter how iconic the brand. They feel they own the customers and don't hesitate to scream when problems arise. They believe the success of a company like ________ (insert your major manufacturer here) hinges entirely on their dealership and has nothing to do with your product.
I've heard of tantrums where the language turns vile—curses and worse. This is, of course, inappropriate for professional relationships and workplaces in general. It's time for our industry to move past these contemptuous dealer-manufacturer relationships, phone calls, and emails. You heard it here first: enough is enough!
Here's what you need to do:
If you're working for a major manufacturer with a dealer advisory council, bring this up at the council meetings. It's especially crucial if salespeople are escalating it to HR, making your job harder. If you're a dealer owner reading this, wake up—manufacturers can't stand you! Sooner or later, the HR problems caused by you or your people speaking to reps in threatening tones (real or perceived) will become your problem, big time. They might eventually cut your dealership out of their business altogether.
Dealer owners: why not establish a code of ethics for your employees' behavior, similar to the manufacturers' code of ethics you represent? Most companies have them to prevent this type of inappropriate behavior. Once again, enough is enough!
If you're one of the major manufacturers, you have significant leverage in the manufacturer/dealer partnership. Use it to establish clear expectations for behavior on both sides.
On the other hand, if you're a small, open-line manufacturer where dealer relationships are more crucial to your business, simply explain to the dealer principal that screaming and shouting are unacceptable in a manufacturer-dealer partnership. Dealers cannot and should not bully manufacturers' employees. It should no longer be the unspoken 'norm' of our industry.
Dealers—especially you screamers—clean up your act!
Signed,
Stephen